Amnesty International – Gun Violence
Excerpt:
OVERVIEW
Gun violence is a contemporary global human rights issue. Gun-related violence threatens our most fundamental human right, the right to life.
Gun violence is a daily tragedy affecting the lives of individuals around the world. More than 500 people die every day because of violence committed with firearms.
Anyone can be affected by firearm violence but in certain situations gun violence disproportionately impacts communities of colour, women and other marginalized groups in society.
Sometimes, the mere presence of firearms can make people feel threatened and fearful for their lives with severe and long-term psychological effects on individuals and whole communities.
When people are afraid of gun violence, this can also have a negative impact on people’s right to education or health care when they are too afraid to attend schools or health facilities or if these services are not fully functioning due to firearm violence in their community.
Amnesty International campaigns for effective gun violence prevention laws and interventions to stop gun violence
Strict regulation of firearms and strategic violence reduction initiatives are the most effective way of reducing gun violence
Easy access to firearms – whether legal or illegal – is one of the main drivers of gun violence.
The state has an obligation to maximize the protection of human rights, creating the safest possible environment for the most people, especially those considered to be at the greatest risk. If a state does not exercise adequate control over the possession and use of firearms in the face of persistent gun violence, this could amount to a breach of their obligations under international human rights law.
This is why Amnesty International calls on states to fulfil their obligations to introduce and implement strict gun violence prevention laws and regulations. States also have the duty to establish measures they can use to intervene at community level to reduce and prevent gun violence in people’s daily lives.
Amnesty International campaigns for governments to use common-sense gun reform to stop gun violence and protect people’s right to life. Our human rights are not protected if our leaders fail to tackle and stop gun violence and gun deaths.